User Comments - pearltowerpete
pearltowerpete
Posted on: The Boy That Cried Wolf
October 14, 2008 at 1:34 AMHi bingge,
Thanks for the kind words. We aim to please.
还是 can be translated here as "still."
"But there was still no wolf."
Posted on: Qipao Dresses and Marathons in China
October 14, 2008 at 1:31 AMHi tvan,
There is a Tibetan marathon, but it's in India. I'm not sure about the specifics but it is pretty hard-core. Obviously oxygen is a rare commodity up there.
Most marathons here, though, tend to be in the east. Maybe it's because the weather out west can be so unforgiving. Hangzhou and Xiamen are probably the best known. For a (slightly too short) 10 K, I think Nanjing's Xuanwu Lake would be wonderful. Anyway I ran there when I lived in Nanjing a few years ago and loved it.
Posted on: Good Night
October 14, 2008 at 1:24 AMHi missworldtraveler,
Great question. 啊 and 吧 are not easy to translate into English. This is one situation where you need to look at context and culture.
Usage of 啊 often follows the basic idea in Chinese of wordiness （or at least not being curt) being polite. So when saying 谢谢, they will often add 啊. It really doesn't mean anything, but somehow strikes Chinese people as being more polite.
Likewise, people will add redundant clauses.
你五一的时候想去哪儿？ Ni3wu3yi1deshi2hou4xiang3qu4na3er?
Where would you like to go on the May holiday?
我去兰州那个地方.
wo3qu4lan2zhou1nagedi4fang1
I'll go to Lanzhou [Literally, "Lanzhou, that place."]
There are plenty of examples of these in colloquial speech.
Similarly 吧 as you mentioned can be used for polite commands. It can also give a sense of uncertainty or that something "should be this way."
Chinese will often also use phrases like 那个什么,etc. that a Henry Higgins would urge them to get rid of. But by cluttering up their sentences in this way, they actually convey that they are not being pushy or rude.
In summary, I recommend that you don't try to think of an exact translation for either particle. Just listen to how they are used. Particularly pay attention to the spirit in which they are used-- "trying to make the listener more comfortable," "expressing doubt," etc. Communication is so much more than grammar and syntax.
Posted on: Sneezing
October 13, 2008 at 6:40 AMHi sophie20461
流鼻涕 liu2bi2ti4 is "to have a runny nose"
Posted on: Good Night
October 13, 2008 at 6:37 AMHi checkingoutchina
Actually the party was on Friday night (and Saturday morning). It was a ripping good time.
But now we are back to work and eager to help our poddies learn Chinese!
Posted on: Qipao Dresses and Marathons in China
October 12, 2008 at 1:00 PMHi pinkjeans,
非常感谢你的支持！
Hi joannah,
I'd love to do a race in Australia. Someday...
I'd go nuts without a big challenege on the horizon. Now I'm looking into the Alcatraz Ironman competition. Any poddies have experience?
Posted on: Party Time at ChinesePod
October 12, 2008 at 12:56 PMDear poddies,
Thanks for all your support through the years. The party was a laugh and a half. Singing, dancing and debauchery.
Posted on: Qipao Dresses and Marathons in China
October 12, 2008 at 3:05 AMHi bababardwan,
Thanks for the support!
And actually, One Night in 北京 is based on the earlier song 北京一夜 by 陈升. I respect it, but it's not as exciting.
Now Shin has broken up because the lead singer, 阿信, “单飞了"－－ went solo.
And by the way, I forgot to put in a good word for BEYOND, the Cantonese band that did 光辉岁月 and 海阔天空.
Posted on: Qipao Dresses and Marathons in China
October 12, 2008 at 3:02 AMHi pchenry,
I will be happy to share my pics. For the Great Wall marathon I didn't take many at all. Too focused, I guess.
When I did the Great Wall Marathon the entry fee was 1500 RMB, and you definitely didn't need to join any tour group. But maybe they've changed the rules. The Taroko one was only 200 RMB.
Posted on: 情绪智商
October 14, 2008 at 1:43 AM智商和情商 ： 哪个重要 ？ ；－）